Yemen Holds Symbolic Vote

Feb. 21, 2012 11:22 a.m. ET

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Men showed off their identification cards as they lined up to vote Tuesday in San'a, Yemen, for their country's next leader. The election is the result of a deal that removed longtime leader Ali Abdullah Saleh from power.
Hani Mohammed/Associated Press…

A police officer stood guard as Yemenis flocked to a polling station in San'a. The robust turnout suggests that there is wide public support for the deal that gave former President Saleh blanket immunity for acts committed during his 33-year tenure in return for stepping down.
Mohamed al-Sayaghi/Reuters…

Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi voted in San'a. Mr. Hadi is the only candidate, making the vote largely symbolic. The 66-year-old is a former general and a longtime aide to Mr. Saleh.
Yemen's presidency/Reuters…

Women checked for their names on lists before they voted in the al Hasaba neighborhood of San'a.
Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters…

A soldier stood guard as women lined up to vote in al Hasaba.
Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters…

A man voted in Aden, Yemen. The ballot bears Mr. Hadi's picture and doesn't include a 'no' vote option. Members of the Southern Movement, which wants southern provinces to secede from Yemen, had sought signatures on petitions denouncing the election, according to residents.
Khaled Abdullah/Reuters…

A man voted in San'a. The stiffest resistance to the ballot came from corners of the country where security challenges are greatest.
Mohamed al-Sayaghi/Reuters…

A woman cast her ballot in al Hasaba.
Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters…

The Arab world's first female Nobel Peace laureate, Tawakkul Karman, showed off her ink-stained thumb after she voted in San'a. Many voters across the capital said they voted to show their support for the path of stability and pragmatism chosen by their political elite.
Gamal Noman/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images…

Men showed off their ink-stained thumbs after voting in San'a. Bloodshed has dropped significantly since the political deal was signed in November and a new coalition government between ruling party and opposition members took over in December.
Yahya Arhab/European Pressphoto Agency…